Disclaimer: see part 1.

1

5

By Random1377

Shinji blinked as his alarm clock went off, blaring away whatever dreams he had been having (something better than real life, he was sure) and forcing him up and out of bed with a disgruntled sigh. Throwing his curtains wide, the Third found it to be a hazy, overcast day, threatening rain almost as palpably as Asuka's narrowed eyes threatened a smack to the side of the head.

Fortunately, these little 'playful' taps had been less and less frequent, especially given the events of the last four days.

"One thing after the other," Shinji whispered, glancing briefly at the small stack of papers on his desk before quickly pulling his eyes away. "Time's wasting…"

The Papers – there was definitely a capitol P in Shinji's mind – seemed to weigh his desk down, causing it to lean in whatever direction Shinji was as if silently calling him over, saying, 'Come on, little man… you'll have to sign me eventually. Angels won't show up every time you have a problem, you know!'

Ha, Shinji thought, shaking his head in wonder as he headed out of his room, saved by an angel – who can't appreciate the irony in that?

The amount of post-attack paperwork was much larger than anyone at NERV would have cared to admit, so trivial matters like, oh, say, the adoption of a three year old, had to wait until all official matters were squared away. Unfortunately for Shinji, his reports had taken him less than a day to fill out, so he had been forced to stall for time by saying that Asuka and Misato needed his input for their reports – lies that his housemates were all too willing to back him on.

Neither of them was very pleased with the way Shinji was being railroaded, and they were glad to offer him any excuse to prolong the inevitable as long as possible.

Inevitable, Shinji thought glumly, moving into the kitchen and rummaging around in the cupboards for a pan to boil eggs, that's what all of this is – inevitable, unstoppable, inescapable… I don't have a choice in the matter. God, I hate that! I thought that if I fought, and stopped angels, and did what I was supposed to do, I'd be-

"Good morning."

Shinji jumped, sloshing cold water onto the top of his sock as he felt a light tap on his shoulder. "Guh- Asuka!" he stammered, quickly setting the pan down and thanking his lucky stars that it had not been full of boiling water, "You're… up early."

The redhead looked weary, but pleased, as she dropped into one of the kitchen chairs. "Yup," she said noncommittally, tossing a brown paper bag on the table as she carefully dangled her other arm behind her back, keeping its contents out of Shinji's line of sight. "I bought you a sandwich while I was out… even got one for Misato. You don't have to cook this morning."

"Thanks," Shinji murmured, so grateful that he had one less thing to think about that he nearly collapsed into one of the other seats. "Where did you go?" he asked curiously.

"Had something I had to pick up," Asuka said nonchalantly, "Today's the big day, huh? Is the kid still sleeping?"

Shinji nodded. "Yeah," he said absently, "she's on the couch… I didn't feel like moving her, so I slept in my own bed for a change." He bowed his head guiltily. "I guess I should have let her sleep there… I mean, after today…"

"…yeah," Asuka nodded, leaving, 'you'll have your bed back for good' unspoken as Shinji grabbed the bag and dug out one of the sandwiches.

Quietly, she rose to her feet.

"Aren't you going to fight this…?"

Shinji's hand shook as he slowly unwrapped his sandwich, but his voice was even as he replied, "I don't know if I should wnat to fight this… I don't know anything about these people. She might be way better off with them than with me… I just wish I knew for sure why they were doing this."

Pondering this for a minute, Asuka slowly brought her hands out from behind her back. "Here," she said, dropping a thin, cream-colored folder on the table in front of the Third, "why don't you take a look at that… maybe it'll help."

"What's is it?" Shinji asked, glancing at the folder over the top of his sandwich.

Asuka leaned against the wall, lacing her hands behind her head and looking very pleased with herself. "Just the Fujimaras' records," she said lightly, "that's all."

With a start, Shinji dropped his sandwich and looked up at the redhead. "How did you get it?" he gasped, his eyes wide and confused. "Misato couldn't even get this!"

"You just have to know who to bribe," Asuka replied, rubbing absently at the side of her nose. "You really should tap your resources more, Third Child – I got this from-"

Shinji gasped a second time, cutting the girl off as he spotted the small note scrawled on the corner of the folder.

You owe me big time for this!

-AK

"But… but you hate him!"

"Boy do I," Asuka snorted, balling one hand into a fist, "even more now that I owe him a favor! That little punk better not even think about asking for anything gross, or I'll knee him in the groin."

Bowing his head, Shinji whispered, "I don't understand… I don't understand at all. Why would you do this for me?"

Asuka sighed. "You act like I hate you," she said quietly. "It's no big deal, Shinji – I just figured that this way, I'd get the brat out of her quicker." Clearing her throat as Shinji looked up, Asuka concluded, "That and, you know, I still kind of owed you for pulling me out of that volcano…"

After a moment of quiet, Shinji's face broke into a grateful smile. "Thank you," he said honestly, "really – this means a lot to me… thanks." Reaching out, he ran his fingertips across the front of the folder. "Did you read it?" he murmured, suddenly very afraid of what he might find in the mysterious couple's past.

Are you scared that you might find something bad? he asked himself as Asuka shook her head, or that there might be nothing worse in there than a parking ticket? Why don't you just admit that you don't want to give her up, hmm? Bella's a symbol now, isn't she…? Some kind of weird, mental representation of all the times I've run away – so by giving her up, I'm running again.

Shinji closed his eyes disturbed by this rambling, incoherent line of thought.

Setting his face into a determined mask, he pulled the folder closer to him, whipped the cover back, and began reading.

Asuka watched curiously as the Third scanned the file, but making no move to read over his shoulder. She did not care, after all – or so she had repeatedly stated… so showing interest now would not only undermine her character, it would also show weakness.

Must be good stuff, she thought after a moment, he looks pretty damn intense…

"What is it?" she asked, feeling foolish as she found her voice coming out in a breathless whisper.

Shinji lifted his head, closing the folder and pushing it a few inches away from him – as if distancing himself from what it held. "Would you hand me the phone?" he asked, his voice carefully neutral, "I need to make a couple calls."

Frowning, Asuka did as she was asked; standing across from Shinji as he made his calls… and letting out a soft whistle as listening in finally gave her a fuller appreciation of all of the intricacies of the situation.

( 0 0 0 )

"So," Misses Fujimara said nervously, "have you finished signing the papers?"

She was a short woman, Rei observed, with a severe, boyish haircut and flat, muddy brown eyes. She seemed perpetually nervous to the First, always glancing around as if she expected to have someone jump out and scare her. Her husband, a stocky foreigner with blond hair, seemed just as edgy, though Rei guessed (quite correctly) that it was more the situation than his nature.

Neither, the pilot decided, was pleased by this impromptu face-to-face meeting – especially not when one took into the account that they were the only adults present.

"Please," Shinji said, drawing Rei's attention back to him, "may I ask a couple more questions?"

Misses Fujimara forced herself to calm down, nodding slowly as her husband squeezed her hand. "Of course," she said politely, "though it was my understanding that everything was already arranged…"

Shinji nodded. "It was," he admitted softly, "but I… well, I'm sure you can understand that I have grown a little… attached to Bella, as has my wife," at this he smiled at Rei, "so we just… we only want what's right for her."

What is this game, Shinji? Rei wondered, nodding her agreement as the Fujimaras let out simultaneous, resigned sighs.

When Shinji had called, Rei had not been doing anything terribly pressing, so she had no problems with coming over and pretending to be Hikari for a while… but Shinji had not fully explained the situation, saying only, 'I don't have time right now, Rei, please just trust me, and I'll spell it all out when it's over, ok?'

It occurred to the First, rather suddenly, that for the moment… she was Shinji's wife.

Hikari, of course, had signed the papers as soon as she could – not out of any desire to be rid of Bella, but because she understood that the sooner this was over, the sooner Bella (and everyone else) would be able to move on.

She would not be told of this afternoon meeting. Shinji felt that it would be best that way.

"Well," Mister Fujimara said patiently, "of course we want you to be comfortable… please, go ahead."

"Thank you."

Rei let her mind wander as Shinji asked the Fujimaras a short list of questions, mostly revolving around where Bella would go to school (when she was old enough) and what her surroundings would be like. The First watched him closely, trying to put a name to the feeling he brought out in her.

Certainly it was too soon to dub it love, but there was an undeniable affinity for the young man that led the First to spend an inordinate amount of time thinking about him.

She had been on the train to come over and talk to him when they had gotten the call to go investigate the volcano that housed the angel embryo, so she had never gotten the chance to drop off the item she had purchased at the store that day, though she did give Bella her gift – a stuffed dog with floppy ears… a present Rei had waited to give to the girl until no one was around.

After all – presenting gifts was one thing… presenting them with an audience was another.

"Pubby," Bella smiled happily, drawing Rei's attention from her musings.

"I see," she said quietly, nodding at the crayon rendering of the stuffed animal being held by a girl that Rei recognized to be Bella – mostly due to the hair and eye color, not out of any real resemblance to the artist… or a human, for that matter.

Bella was not the most talented with crayons.

"Well," Shinji was saying, his voice sounding very much as if he was drawing to a conclusion, "I guess… there's just one more thing I wanted to know – two more, actually…"

Rei's brow creased in a faint frown as Shinji beckoned Misses Fujimara closer, pressing a small piece of paper into her hand and whispering something too low for Rei to hear. The woman read the note, showing it to her husband and exchanging a look with him that (to Rei, anyway) said, 'Is this kid putting us on?'

Misses Fujimara cleared her throat, pocketing the note as she murmured, "I… don't think that would be a problem, Mister Ikari."

"Both parts?" Shinji asked, his tone painfully hopeful as he fidgeted with the folder in his hands. "Both parts are ok?"

The Fujimara's exchanged another look. "Sure, Shinji," Mister Fujimara said evenly, "if that's what it takes to make you comfortable, we have no problem with either stipulation."

Shinji's shoulders slumped with relief.

"Thank you…"

Inclining his head politely, Shinji offered the stack of papers to the couple, turning it around to face them and pointing to the bottom to show his signature.

"Please take good care of her," he said formally, pushing the papers across the table and bowing very deeply.

"We will," Misses Fujimara said gently, taking the paperwork from Shinji's hands as carefully as if she was being offered a newborn. "Thank you, Mister Ikari – you have no idea what this means to us."

Shinij kept his eyes low as he whispered, "Yes I do."

The Fujimaras looked startled… then embarrassed, though Rei could not understand why. After a moment of awkward silence, Mister Fujimara cleared his throat. "Well then," he said, rising to his feet and offering Shinji his hand, "we are doubly in your debt."

Shaking the man's hand, Shinji replied, "It's for the best, Mister Fujimara… thank you for honoring my wishes." Turning from the man, Shinji raised his voice and called, "Nanako…?"

More confused than ever, Rei watched the girl appear in Shinji's doorway, her face a mask of nervousness and uncertainty. "Did… did they say yes?" she blurted, blushing brightly as she realized that all eyes were on her.

"Yes, Miss… Aoyama, was it?" Misses Fujimara said carefully, "We'd-"

"Nana!"

The Fujimaras both jumped slightly as Bella leapt off of Rei's lap and threw herself at Nanako. The girl broke into a happy grin, holding her arms out and bending her knees a bit so that the impact of the three year old would not knock her off of her feet.

So that is how you do it, Rei mused, trying to pretend that she did not feel jealous of Nanako for so easily usurping Bella's attention. It does not matter, she told herself calmly, now I will be able to refocus on my duties with EVA.

Brushing her skirt off, she started to rise, but Shinji gently put a hand on her shoulder. "Stay a minute," he whispered, keeping his voice pitched for her ears only. "Please?"

Rei nodded, sinking back onto the chair and averting her eyes as Bella began regaling Nanako with details of her morning and afternoon. Belatedly, the First Child noticed that Bella was still clutching the stuffed dog… and the inexplicable tightness in her chest grew ever so slightly less bearable.

"We should be going," Mister Fujimara said, tapping the papers against his palm and giving his wife a significant look. "Bella, come here please."

Shinji shook his head, and Rei was sure he whispered, 'It's not that easy,' before he cleared his throat and said, "Bella, can you come over here for a second?"

Bella, who had been in the middle of describing her maciwoni wunch, looked at Shinji with a clearly visible expression of irritation. "Whad Shinchi?"

Crouching down to the girl's level, Shinji said, "I'd like you to go with Mister and Misses Fujimara, alright? They're going to show your their house, and umm… you're gonna stay with them for a while."

Rei watched as the girl took this information in, her small face pinching a bit as she wondered, "Shinchi coming?"

"No, Bella," Shinji replied, slowly shaking his head, "but… but I'll come visit sometimes, ok? You'll like it there – they have two whole rooms full of toys just for a girl your age."

At this, Misses Fujimara turned away, her bottom lip trembling as her husband patted her on the arm – and with sudden epiphany, Rei understood a little more of their situation. She kept her attention on Bella, though, as the little girl's expression grew slightly alarmed.

As Rei was about to step in to comfort her, though, Nanako leaned down and whispered something in Bella's ear… and the little girl nearly exploded with joy, turning to face Nanako and throwing her arms around her waist.

"Take care of her," Rei heard Shinji whisper as the Fujimaras made their goodbyes and started for the door.

"You know I will, Mister Ikari," Nanako said gently, "thank you for doing this."

Shinji blushed as the girl leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek. "It's Shinji," he said awkwardly, "just Shinji."

Smiling, Nanako scooped Bella into her arms. "Shinji, then," she corrected herself, offering him an unsteady, Bella-complicated bow. "I'll make sure you don't miss a thing."

"Thanks…"

Sensing that the boy was on the verge of tears, Nanako wasted no more time with goodbyes, moving to follow the Fujimaras towards the front door and sniffling a bit as she refused to look back.

"Rei!"

Rei barely glanced up in time to see Bella jump out of Nanako's arms and sprint across the room, throwing her arms around Rei's neck and giving her a very wet kiss on the lips.

"Mmmmahh!" the girl declared, pulling her head back dramatically. "Wuv you, Rei!"

Though she tried to reply, Rei found that her throat was just a bit too dry to say anything.

"Come on squirt," Nanako said, her voice cracking slightly as she looked away from Rei's confused face, "let's get going."

"You auo sqwode!" Bella declared, laughing happily as she bounced out of Rei's arms.

It was not until the door to the apartment had closed and Bella's laughter had faded from the air that it really hit Rei that there was almost no chance that the little girl would ever be in her arms again. Silently, she rose to her feet and followed Shinji into the living room, sitting on the couch and staring up at the ceiling as Shinji settled in next to her. Neither spoke for some time, as both were contemplating the events that had led them to this point.

Finally, in an uncharacteristic display of openness, Rei broke the silence by whispering, "The Fujimaras lost a child… correct?"

Shinji nodded. "Yeah," he confirmed, "but it was in a car crash… before the angels started attacking."

Looking down at her hands, resting limply in her lap, Rei murmured, "Will you tell me the rest?"

With a long, deep sigh, Shinji told Rei everything.

"The Fujimaras have been trying to have another baby for over six years, but she has… well, I don't know how you pronounce it, but it's a medical syndrome where your… umm… o-ovaries stop releasing eggs." Rei could tell that Shinji was uncomfortable with the topic, so she said nothing, allowing him to go at his own pace as he continued. "They've been searching for a cure for a long time, or if they fail that, to find a donor willing to give them a fertile egg. They're not rich, so they can't afford to keep trying implantation… though they did get the money to try it twice."

"Both failed?" Rei ventured knowingly.

"Yeah," Shinji whispered, "and then they found a doctor that works at NERV – a very skilled specialist in the field of reproductive science." Shrugging, he said, "You can probably fill in the blanks from there. They couldn't afford the treatments he theorized may help them, so they had pretty much given up… until a NERV official contacted them and arranged funding for them…"

"…on the condition that they take custody of Bella," Rei finished quietly.

As this was not a question, Shinji simply continued staring straight ahead.

Rei considered this information for a moment. "What did you ask of the Fujimaras?" she wondering finally.

"I thought that was obvious," Shinji said, rubbing his eyes tiredly. "I asked if they would mind if I visited Bella sometimes, and – since they were planning to hire a nanny anyway – if they would consider hiring Nanako…"

Nodding, Rei realized she should have known. Shinji would not let Bella be alone with people she does not know if there was anything he could do about it, she thought approvingly. What an interesting solution.

Silence fell once more as the two pilots stared off into space. Neither felt much like breaking it, so they simply sat there, their thoughts in perfect, unconscious synchronization as they pondered Bella's future. They both knew that the Fujimaras did not care very deeply for the girl, but they seemed like nice enough people, and perhaps, given time, they might actually grow to love her… until their own child was born, at any rate.

But then there is Nanako, Rei mused. She will care for Bella as if she were the child's own mother… something I could never be capable of. Perhaps, someday, she will be allowed to take Bella into custody herself. I cannot guess how deeply her affections and loyalties lie, but she does seem to care for her…

"This was the best solution…"

"Yes," Rei replied simply, "it was."

Shinji closed his eyes. "Thank you for being here through all of this, Ayanami," he said softly, "you helped me so much… I don't even know how to thank you enough."

"It was not a problem."

"Really," Shinji said insistently, turning to face Rei on the couch, "I couldn't have done it without you." He chuckled weakly. "I'm… kinda gonna miss seeing you over here all the time."

"I-"

"Maybe you could come over anyway."

Rei blinked. "Pardon?"

Shinji leaned forward on the couch, staring down at his feet as he laced his hands together in his lap. "I was just… thinking," he said carefully, "that it's been umm, really nice to have you over here…" Slowly, he raised his eyes, blushing terribly as he lamely concluded, "So I just thought I'd like to have you come over again."

"Without Bella?" Rei clarified.

"Y-yeah…"

"I see…"

Rising to her feet, Rei slipped a hand into her pocket, pulling out a small, crumpled bag.

"What's this?" Shinji asked as she offered it to him.

"It is… something for you," Rei said carefully. "I bought it the day of the angel attack, but I was not sure I should give it to you or not."

Curiously, forgetting for a moment that he was in the middle of stumblingly trying to ask Rei to come over, Shinji opened the bag and pulled out a small, dangled pendant, suspended on a plain, silver chain. "Er… it's a yang," he said, "right?"

"Yes," Rei replied calmly, "I have always liked the way it looked when I saw it in the store."

Biting his tongue before he could ask 'what does it mean, exactly,' Shinji brought the pendant up to eye-level and studied it carefully. "So do you have the yin?" he said, realizing with slowly dawning wonder that Rei (who never had more than a handful of words for anyone) had just given him a present.

Rei shook her head. "No," she said calmly, "I do not like jewelry."

"Oh…"

"Will you put it on?"

"Sure."

As the chain was rather long, Shinji did not have to unclasp it to get it over his head. Holding the pendant in his palm, he noticed that it was rather cheaply made – flimsy tin with a dull enamel yang dangling from a chain that was so thin Bella could have broken it without even trying… but in looking at it, Shinji could understand why it had drawn Rei's attention.

It looks like a tear, he thought sadly, a single black tear…

"Thank you, Rei… it's beautiful."

"I am glad that you like it."

"So," Shinji murmured, tapping the pendant his thumbnail, "Why did you want me to have it…?"

Rei averted her eyes. "I am… not entirely sure," she admitted calmly.

"Oh…"

Rising to his feet, Shinji stuffed his hands in his pockets, finding himself unable to meet Rei's eyes.

"Well," he whispered, "thanks."

The atmosphere in the apartment was decidedly unsure, but at the same time, a certain feeling of comfort seemed to flow between the two pilots. Perhaps it was false – born of forced closeness and tough choices… but both seemed to understand this, and take it in stride, accepting it as part of the current situation and allowing it to temper their emotions, keeping them from leaping into anything that could hurt them.

"I should go."

Shinji nodded gravely. "Of course," he said quietly. "I'll umm… I'll see you soon, though…"

"Mm."

Not knowing what else to say, Rei gave Shinji a small bow.

Silently, he led her to the front door, leaning against the frame as she stepped into the hallway and turned to regard him. He tensed, wetting his lips unconsciously as Rei edged a bit closer, but her eyes were not on his face.

"I like the way it looks."

Shinji glanced down as Rei reached out and ran her forefinger across the pendant's surface. "It's really pretty," he agreed weakly.

I can't believe I thought she was going to kiss me, he thought, desperately wanting to slap himself in the head. IDIOT!

"You… said you would like me to come over some time…?" Rei murmured as she stepped away.

"Er, right," Shinji said softly, remembering suddenly that he had been inviting her over when she gave him the pendant. "Maybe… maybe on Friday, after school?"

"Alright."

It was clear that both wanted to say more… but neither quite knew what. Trapped by their lack of experience, the two pilots simply bade each other goodnight, wishing something more concrete had come of their conversation. So far, all they knew was that they wanted more than they currently had, and that – possibly – the other held the key to making it happen.

Shaking his head, Shinji pushed away from the door, deciding that it was definitely time for a little nap, but as he turned, he found himself face to face with, "Asuka! I didn't even know you were home!"

"You didn't bother to check," the redhead pointed out, hiding a yawn behind her hand, "I had a headache, so I was lying down in my room." She glanced around. "Wondergirl went home?"

"Yeah, she just left," Shinji nodded, jerking his thumb over his shoulder. "Did you want to talk to her about something?"

Asuka gave him a bland stare. "Now I know you didn't really mean to ask me that," she said dryly.

Shinji laughed. "Sorry," he said sheepishly, "I wasn't thinking."

"Nice pendant."

"Thanks."

"Did she give it to you?"

"Umm yeah," Shinji mumbled, scratching the back of his neck as he quickly added, "but it doesn't like, mean anything… I don't think."

"You don't sound too sure," Asuka observed critically.

Suddenly, Shinji was very tired. "I'm not too sure about anything anymore," he said quietly.

Asuka nodded as if this information was of absolutely no surprise to her. "Did you get things taken care of with the kid?"

Leaning back against the door, Shinji briefly outlined the resolution to Bella's situation, making the story as short as possible as Asuka had been there when he had made the plans in the first place.

When he had finished, Asuka said, "So it all worked out, then. You made sure Bella was taken care of at the last minute, and you even got Nanako a better job in the process. Nicely done, Shinji."

"It was all circumstances," Shinji said, clearly awkward at the praise, "if she wasn't willing to be Bella's nanny, or if the Fujimaras weren't willing to hire someone they didn't know, none of it would have worked out. I was lucky."

Asuka tilted her head to the side. "You took a chance," she said simply, "you ran a risk, you gambled – and you won. Call it whatever you like, but I think it was brave."

"Th-thanks…"

Shinji toyed with the pendant, clearly at a loss for what to else to say.

Waiting for only a moment – to see if he actually would say anything else – Asuka murmured, "When's the divorce final?"

"Week, week and a half," Shinji replied, grateful to be changing topics, "maybe not even that. Since we're so young, and neither of us is contesting, Officer Kokobunji thinks they should just stamp an approval on it and send it back. We probably won't even have to go to court at all."

"Then you'll be single again."

"Umm, yeah."

"Huh."

Shinji frowned as Asuka leaned against the wall, studying him closely in the bright light from the overhead fluorescents.

"What is it?" he squeaked, clearing his throat and shifting on his feet as the redhead pursed her lips.

Asuka chose her words carefully. "I was just thinking that maybe we should go to a movie – you know, to help take our minds off of all this stuff."

Nodding, Shinji said, "Oh, like with a bunch of people from school…?"

"No, Shinji," Asuka said levelly, "not with a bunch of people from school."

Shinji looked confused. "Well, wouldn't that be a… a…"

"Date?" Asuka supplied calmly, "Of course not – you're a married man." She reached out, tapping the pendant as she murmured, "I would never think of going on a date with a married man, so this would just be a couple coworkers hanging out and taking in a show." Looking from the pendant to Shinji's eyes, she whispered, "I'll even treat."

Shinji averted his eyes, entirely intimidated by the redhead's strong, unwavering attitude. "Why are you doing this?" he wondered, feeling rather helpless as Asuka stared boldly into his face.

Leaning a bit closer, the redhead whispered, "I told you, it's just a couple coworkers hanging out… no big deal, right? I'll go change."

Before Shinji could reply, Asuka turned away and headed into her room, leaving him feeling that he had just been caught up in a small-scale hurricane.

"Now what…?" he asked himself weakly, clutching the pendant tightly in his hand.

Somehow, though he had managed to ensure Bella's happiness as best he could… Shinji's own life had just grown considerably more complicated.

The End

Author's Notes: I have 13 pages of additional material outlining other attempted endings, none of which really made me happy. I know this one may seem a bit open-ended… ok, REALLY open-ended, but I just felt having everything tied up in a nice tidy bow would have been plastic and forced. At least Bella got to be (relatively) happy, right? And hey, at least I didn't kill off any main characters… that has to count for something.

1, like 2, and 3, was not pre-read.

Feedback is always welcome on any site with reviewing capabilities, or by contacting me directly at random1377(at-sign)yahoo(dot)com.